"I can't give a time frame," added the city's public works director, Gerald Bartoszek. "I can't tell if it's going to be two weeks or six weeks."

Bartoszek said steady progress is being made by Jackson-Merkey Contractors. While work is under way beneath the bridge, traffic above flows over a single lane controlled by temporary traffic signals at either end of the bridge.

The 19-year-old bridge was closed Jan. 8 after a storm drain burst in heavy rains. Resulting erosion of a bank on Mona Lake caused some of the northeast bridge supports to fail, caving in part of the decking.

The damage occurred when debris collected behind a metal grate at the end of a culvert. Rushing stormwater backed up, exerting pressure on the drain pipe, causing it to burst at two of its seams.

Contractors have finished demolition and removal of a retaining wall, allowing them to get at and remove pieces of the broken culvert, Bartoszek said. Once it is replaced, workers then will backfill the area with soil and erect a new retaining wall.

With a deep freeze expected to arrive later this week, Bartoszek said the weather will be another factor in the length of time it will take to complete repairs.

Meanwhile, although the driveable portion of the bridge is safe, motorists have been advised to avoid traffic backups by using Seminole, Lake Harbor and Porter roads as an alternate route.

There is still no estimate of what repairs will ultimately cost the city.